Chapter 314   - Can't Be Without You

Katherine hadn't heard him leave in the morning. We woke up alone and showered before getting up to dress. She had slept in late and was still sleepy. Not wanting to order in food, she dressed in Cage's oversized hoodie and jeans to head out. The plan was to have a chill day outside, have lots of street food, snacks, and confectionaries.

She'd heard of a famous alley where artists would come to show off their work, so she planned on visiting it as well.

She was about to walk out of the front door when someone shouted. All hell broke loose when a mass of bodies surrounded her. Flashes of the camera went off and questions were fired non-stop. Katherine froze for a second before hanging her head. The hood covered her head completely, not letting out a single hint of her face.

"How long have you been together with Cage? Where did you meet?" The crush of bodies crowded around and she ducked. She couldn't understand how they had figured out it was her. She tried to get the hell away from them as fast as possible.

Her heart was pounding and the security guards were yelling and trying to shove the bodies away from her as she got out her phone. Katherine stared at the screen for a split second, wondering if she should call him in this mess and get caught red-handed. They would hear her voice.

Her shirt. It was her shirt that had given her away. But she didn't know what had happened. There was no news about them, so what was happening?

A security guard shoved a guy out of Katherine's face. The man had been trying to rip her hood off while he tried to question her. There were questions in different languages and they kept coming at her. So fast that she couldn't think properly. All she wanted to do was run, but the chances of space were grim.

It felt like a lifetime had passed until she saw a couple of men in suits break up the crowd considerably. The hotel management had been called. Someone had done that for her. Katherine relaxed marginally as some of the bodies backed off. But she still couldn't move. She kept her head down as she heard the constant click of cameras.

There was shuffling and struggle, and Katherine ducked. "Miss, get inside!" someone yelled. A barrier had somehow formed around her and they were struggling to get her back inside. Someone grabbed her arm and forced her out, dragging her inside the hotel with great effort.

Her hood fell, the cameras flashed. Thankfully, her back was turned. Her long brown hair flowed out, waving in the wind. She limped and almost balked as her knees gave away. The stewardess at the front desk hurried forward helping her.

"Ma'am, I'll take you to the room," the woman said softly. She nodded as she limped. "Did you get hurt?" she asked with a frown.

"Someone stepped on me," Katherine mumbled unhappily. The phone in her hand rang. As she looked at the screen, she couldn't help but suck in a deep breath.

'This is no time to cry,' she reminded herself. She picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Katherine?" the raw worry in his voice broke her. Tears pricked at her eyes as she tried to contain the sob.

"Cage... they know."

This was the beginning of chaos.

- - -

On the other side of the call, Cage was panicking

'What have I done? Damn it.' "Did something happen?" he asked. He was already donning on his jacket and leaving the set in a hurry.

"I don't know what happened. I was going out and they just surrounded me all of a sudden..." she trailed off.

A member of the crew came forward, looking shocked at how urgently Cage was moving about the set. "Get me a car, immediately," he shouted pulling away from the phone.

"But sir-" the boy protested.

"Now!" Cage roared. Taken aback, the boy shuffled away in search of someone who could fulfill the demand.

Cage heard her hyperventilate, her breath coming in short spurts. "I'm so sorry..." she kept mumbling.

"Don't say that! It's okay, love. It's going to be okay. Just tell me what happened in detail and I will figure out what to do." He needed to know how she had gotten out. Who had helped her.? Everything.

Cage's heart cracked at the confusion and pain in her voice. She told him everything, from the security to the questions and the people who finally pulled her out.

The f.u.c.k.i.n.g media... those bastards had ambushed her.

Cage was going to kill someone.

"I kept my head down and I don't think they got my face."

Despite her words, Cage couldn't focus.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" he panicked as he wildly searched for the car he had asked for.

"I'm fine. I... just got pushed. I think I have a sprained foot. That's all." Cage fumed as he imagined rampaging over the people who had hurt her. Whoever it was, they would be dead by tomorrow.

He could hear how her voice had gotten higher and higher, bordering on a panic attack.

"It's okay. Just go to the room. I'm coming back. I'll take care of everything." He tried to sound as soothing as possible. All he could think about was these damned people ruining his relationship with Katherine. What if she was too scared and ran away. What if...

'I can't be without you,' he wanted to say, but the panic. He would definitely worry her more if he said anything.

Fortunately, she sounded a little better before they hung up.

"Where is my car?" Cage finally screamed. The crew turned, stunned that the usually happy and excited actor had turned into a raging monster.

The assistant director was fast approaching him. "I got the car," he said from a distance. "Are you sure you'll be able to get in?" he asked, worry lacing his voice.

"I don't care how I get in," Cage asserted. "I've gotta go. I'm sorry."

The assistant director nodded. The director on the other hand looked less than pleased.

"What do you mean you have to leave? We're in the middle of the shooting! Don't joke."